Andreas Deja’s New Blog

Andreas Deja has started a blog! I, for one, am extremely excited to add this blog to my morning routine. Go there!

For those who need a refresher, Deja was supervising animator of The Lion King‘s Scar, Beauty and the Beast‘s Gaston, and most recently Winnie the Pooh‘s Tigger (to name just a few – more listed here) Deja has promised animation ruffs, thumbnails, and character designs (from Disney’s Nine Old Men and other inspirational animators), many of which have never been published.

Already Deja has made good on this promise, posting the pencil test below. The clip is from Sleeping Beauty; the first shot animated by Ollie Johnston, and the second by Frank Thomas

Gives me goosebumps! Notice how Ollie has staged the three fairies so that the audience is always looking in the right place. Watch the clip three times (or more!), concentrating on what Ollie has done with each character. Notice how Merryweather bounces excitedly before her line, and how Flora’s finger is brought up to Fauna’s face right before Fauna gets her line (our eye is already exactly where it has to be!) So good!

It contrasts so nicely with the second shot. As Deja notes, “And Frank’s close up of Merryweather shows a mood change with stunning subtleties.The way her head anticipates ever so slightly the word “frost”.”

Have I convinced you yet to head over to Deja’s blog? Would another link do it?